Bed



Feb. 16, 1943. E. D. HOLME 7 BED Filed April 10,- 1941 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Feb. 16, 1943. v E. D. HQLME 2,311,542

BED

' Filed April 10, 1941 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 l'llllH Patented Feb. 16, 1943 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE BED Edward Dumville Holme, St. Joseph, Mo.

Application April 1941, Serial No. 387,965

8 Claims.

This invention relates to bed structures and more particularly to an oscillating bed structure.

An object of this invention is to provide a bed structure which is rockable longitudinally and transversely, the transverse movement being of an adjustable character so that the desired transverse rocking or tilting may be effected simultaneous with the longitudinal rocking thereof.

Another object of this invention is to provide a bed structure of this kind with an operator for rocking and tilting the bed so that the bed may slowly rock and tilt and thus eliminate the necessity of the occupant of the bed to shift his positlon relative to the bed in order to assume a comfortable position.

A further object of this invention is to provide in a rocking bed structure an improved means for tilting the bed coactive with the longitudinal rocking thereof, the tilting means being in the form of a longitudinally adjustable bed tilting means which is connected between the bed and the base so that the desired tilting of the bed may be had with the longitudinal rocking thereof.

A still further obj ct of this invention is to provide a bed rocking means which is adapted to slowly rock the bed longitudinally thereof and which includes a longitudinally adjustable tilting means by which the bed may be tilted or transversely rocked to the desired degree and in the desired direction at the same time that the bed is rocked longitudinally.

A further object of this invention is to provide a bed structure which is so constructed that either end of the bed may be disposed in a raised position so that the bed may be used in hospitals for a patient and the patient may be disposed in the desired position either horizontal or at an inclination to the horizontal.

It is well known that a person lying upon a bed shifts his position either consciously or unconsciously, and where a person is unable to shift his position because of an injury, operation, or other cause, he cannot rest comfortably in the bed. It is, therefore, an object of this invention to provide for rocking of the bed both lengthwise and sidewise so that the natural tendency of the person to shift his position will be overcome and the bedridden person may rest comfortably on the bed without changing his position. The mechanical means to provide for rocking of the bed is so constructed and arranged that any desired degree of movement may be obtained, and the gearing connected with the operator is such as to provide for one complete cycle of rocking every five or ten minutes.

T0 the foregoing objects and to others which may hereinafter appear, the invention consists of the novel construction, combination and arrangement of parts as will be more specifically referred to and illustrated in the accompanying drawings wherein are shown embodiments of the invention, but it is to be understood that changes, variations and modifications may be resorted to which fall within the scope of the invention as claimed.

In the drawings:

Figure 1 is a detail side elevation partly broken away of a bed constructed according to an embodiment of this invention.

Figure 2 is an end elevation partly broken away and in section of the bed.

Figure 3 is a sectional view taken on the line 33 of Figure 2.

Figure 4 is a sectional view taken on the line 44 of Figure Referring to the drawings, the numeral III designates generally a bed structure including side rails H and opposite end members l2 and 13, which are connected to the opposite ends of the sides or rails II. A base I is disposed below the bed l0 and is provided with a plurality of castors l5 so that the bed Ill may be readily shifted. The base l4 includes a central base part l6 and a plurality of outwardly divergent arms I! which are secured to the central part 5 and each arm I! at its outer end has a castor l5 swivelly secured thereto.

The base part 16 at its central portion has rising therefrom a vertically disposed standard or pedestal member I 8 which is formed with a pair of parallel upwardly extending arms IS. A bearing member 20 is disposed between the arms l9 and is pivotally secured therebetween by means of a shaft or pivot member 2|. The bearing member 20 is secured to the underside of an elongated block or bar 22 which at the opposite ends thereof is provided wiht trunnions 23 engaging in transversely disposed bearing members or tie bars 24. The tie bars or bearing members 24 are secured to the lower edges of the side rails It! in parallel relation to each other. The axes of the trunnions 23 are disposed at right angles to the axis of the shaft or pivot member 2|.

A power member in the form of a motor 25 is secured by fastening devices 26 to the base member [6 at one side of the pedestal or standard l8 and a reduction gearing 21 is operatively connected with the power member 25 by means of a flexible driving connection 28. In the pres- .ent instance, the motor 25 is provided with a stepped pulley 23 and the reduction gearing 21 is provided with a complementary stepped pulley mounted on a shaft 3| forming part of the gearing 21. A driven shaft 32 forming part of the reduction gearing member 21 has a discshaped plate 33 secured thereto and a pitman 34 is pivotally connected at one end to a crank pin 35, which is offset from the shaft 32 and is carried by the plate 33.

The opposite or upper end of the pitman 34 is mounted on the pin or stationary shaft 36 which is carried by a depending bracket arm 31. The bracket arm 31 is fixed to the longitudinally rockable bar 22 adjacent one end thereof so that In order to provide a means whereby the bed I0 may be given a tilting or oscillating movement simultaneous with the longitudinal rocking thereof, I have provided a longitudinally adjustable tilting bar 39 which at its lower end is provided with a transversely disposed sleeve 40. The sleeve 43 slidably engages a horizontally disposed longitudinal guide rod 4| which at the opposite ends thereof is mounted in supporting members 42 fixed by fastening devices 43 to the base member it on the upper side thereof and at one side of the pedestal or standard l8.

The sleeve may be in the form of the flange portion of a T coupling which has the stem 44 thereof threaded onto the lower end of the tilting member 39. A second guide bar 45 is fixed to a longitudinally extending side member 45 which is fixed between the transverse members 24 at one side thereof. The guide member 45 at the opposite ends thereof is provided with upwardly offset flattened members 4?, which are fixed by fastening devices 48 to the underside of the longitudinal side member Preferably the side member 43 is formed with a longitudinally extending cutout or recess 9 and a U-shaped yoke 53 is slidable on the guide member 45.

The opposite legs 5| of the yoke 50 are disposed on opposite sides of the rod 45 and extend downwardly therefrom, being connected as by a pivot member or bolt 52 to the upper end of the tilting member 33. The yoke 53' is rockable relative to the tilting member 353 so that a substantially universal rocking movement may be effected with respect to the bed ID by a longitudinal adjustment of the tilting member 39.

In the use and operation of this bed structure, the patient is placed on the bed In, it being understood that a bed spring and mattress may be associated with the bedstead l0.

end member l3 may be the foot. In the event it is desired merely to rock the bed ||l without tilting thereof, the tilting member 39 is shifted to a position in alignment with the axis of the shaft 2|. In this position of the tilting member 39, operation of the motor 25 and the vertical movement of the pitman 34 will eifect only longitudinal rocking of the bed In.

However, in the event it is desired to, as an- Iheendmember |2 may be the head of the bed and the example, tilt the bed upwardly from the foot eiidthereof, the tilting member 39 is shifted toward the foot of the bed, being shiftable along the guide members 4| and 45. The relative position of the tilting member 33 with respect to the axis of the shaft 2| will determine the degree of tilting movement coactive with the longitudinal rocking of the bottom. Assuming that the tilting member 39 is shifted to the left of the pedestal l8, the rocking movement of the bed l0 will be accomplished by a simultaneous tilting movement which will raise the left side of the bed while at the same time the right side of the bed is being lowered. This is accomplished by holding the left side against rocking movement and due to the ivotal connection between the bar 22 and the bed II], the lowering of the foot end of the bed will lower the right side thereof while the left side at the foot end is being held against rocking movement.

In the event it is desired to reverse this tilting movement of the bed, the tilting member is shifted forwardly toward the head in substantially the position shown in full lines in Figure 1.

By providing a combined bed rocking and tilting means as hereinbefore described, the patient will be rocked and partially rotated in an oscillatory movement so that the patient will not find it necessary to shift his position. It will also be understood that weights or balancing devices may be attached in any suitable manner to either end of the bed so as to provide an even rocking movement of the bed and relieve the power member 25 of any overload which may be caused by an unbalance of the bed structure.

In order to provide a means for permitting the occupant of the bed to regulate the operation of the motor 25, a switch 53 is interposed in a conductor 54 connected to a source of electric current supply. The conductor 54 is sufficiently long so that the switch 53 may be convenient to the occupant of the bed.

What I claim is:

1. A bed comprising a body supporting frame, a base, a pedestal fixed to said base, an elongated longitudinal frame supportin'g member pivotally carried by said pedestal for rocking movement in a longitudinal direction, pivot means at right angles to the pivot axis of said longitudinal member pivotal-1y securing said member to said body supporting frame, whereby said body supporting frame may rock in a trans verse direction, means carried by said base connected with said longitudinal frame supporting member for rocking said member relative to said pedestal, and means connected with said base and said body supporting frame and longitudinally adjustable relative thereto for effecting transverse rocking of said body supportingframe relative to said supporting member simultaneous with the longitudinal rocking of said supporting member relative to said pedestal.

2. A bed comprising a body supporting frame, a base, a pedestal fixed to said base, an elongated longitudinal frame supporting member pivotall'y' carried by said pedestal for rocking movement in a longitudinal direction; pivotmeans at" right angles'to the pivot a'x-isof saidlongitudi n'al member pivotally securing said member to said" body supporting frame, whereby said body' suppo'rtinf frame may rock in a transverse direction, means carried by said base connected with said longitudinal frame supporting member for rocking said member relative to said pedestal, aguide bar carried bysaid base extending longitudinally of said longitudinal fram'e,-'a second" guide b'air carried by said longitudinal frame extending lon gitudinally thereof, and a frame tilting member slidably engaging said guide bars and active upon rocking of said supporting member relative to said pedestal for effecting transverse rocking of said body supporting frame relative to said sup porting member.

3. A bed comprising a body supporting frame, a base, a pedestal fixed to said base, an elongated longitudinal frame supporting member pivotally carried by said pedestal for rocking movement in a longitudinal direction, pivot means at right angles to the pivot axis of said longitudinal member pivotally securing said member to said body supporting frame, whereby said body supporting frame may rock in a transverse direction, means carried by said base connected with said longitudinal frame supporting member for rocking said member relative to said pedestal, a guide bar carried by said base extending longitudinally of said longitudinal frame, a second guide bar carried by said longitudinal frame extending longitudinally thereof, a tilting member for said longitudinal frame, a tubular slide carried by one end of said tilting member slidably engaging said first guide bar, a second slide pivotally carried by the opposite end of said tilting member and slidably engaging said second guide bar, said tilting member effecting transverse rocking of said longitudinal frame relative to said supporting member coactive with the rocking of said supporting member relative to said pedestal.

4. A bed comprising a body supporting frame, a base, a pedestal fixed to said base, an elongated longitudinal frame supporting member pivotally carried by said pedestal for rocking movement in a longitudinal direction, pivot means at right angles to the pivot axis of said longitudinal member pivotally securing said member to said body supporting frame, whereby said body supporting frame may rock in a transverse direction, means carried by said base connected with said longitudinal member for rocking said member relative to said pedestal, a guide bar carried by said base extending longitudinally of said longitudinal frame, a second guide bar carried by said longitudinal frame extending longitudinally thereof, a tilting member for said longitudinal frame, a tubular slide carried by one end of said tilting member slidably engaging said first guide bar, a U-shaped slide engaging said second guide bar, and means pivotally securing the parallel legs of said U-shaped slide to the opposite end of said tilting member.

5. A bed comprising a body supporting frame, a base, a pedestal fixed to said base, means rockably mounting said frame on said pedestal for movement in one direction, means rockably mounting said frame on said pedestal for movement in another direction at right angles to said first direction, means for affecting movement of said frame relative to said pedestal, and means correlated with said frame and said base for varying said rocking movement in at least one direction.

6. A bed comprising a body supporting frame, a base, a pedestal fixed to said base, a pivot rockably securing said frame to said pedestal for movement in one direction, a second pivot for rockably securing said frame to said pedestal for movement in another direction at right angles to said first direction, means for affecting movement of said frame relative to said pedestal, and means correlated with said frame and said base for varying said rocking movement in at least one direction.

'7. A bed comprising a body supporting frame. a base, a pedestal fixed to said base, a pivot rockably securing said frame to said pedestal for movement in one direction, a second pivot for rockably securing said frame to said pedestal for movement in another direction at right angles to said first direction, a power source, means 0peratively connecting said power source to said supporting frame, said power source correlated with said connecting means affecting movement of said frame relative to said pedestal, and means correlated with said frame and said base for varying said rocking movement in at least one direction.

8. A bed comprising a body supporting frame, a' base, a pedestal fixed to said base, means rockably mounting said frame on said pedestal for movement in one direction, means rockably mounting said frame on said pedestal for movement in another direction at right angles to said first direction, a power source, means operatively connecting said power source to said supporting frame, said power source correlated with said connecting means affecting movement of said frame relative to said pedestal, and means correlated with said frame and said base for varying said rocking movement in at least one direction.

EDWARD DUMVILLE HOLME. 

